Code readers are used in a wide variety of applications by reading machine-readable indicia, such as barcodes and direct part marking (DPM) codes. One use of hand-held code readers is for reading direct part marking codes on parts, such as vehicular parts, as understood in the art. Typically, in DPM applications where the DPM codes are small, reading at contact or near contact distances by a code reader is generally necessary to achieve a desired decoding performance in order to have the best light condition.
Many code readers include illumination devices that produce illumination or light aiming patterns, such as a cross or circle that is illuminated onto the DPM codes, to assist an operator when reading the DPM codes. However, in the cases where a DPM code is very small and the operator is reading the DMP code with a code reader at contact distances, the operator cannot see the standard aiming pattern because the aiming pattern is typically in the middle of the optical field-of-view (FOV) of the code reader. In other words, the code reader housing blocks the perspective field-of-view of the operator due to the code reader covering the optical field-of-view of the code reader, especially during the final part of the reading process when the scanner approaches the DPM code target at the contact distance. As understood, despite the DPM code being much smaller than the optical FOV of the code reader, it can be difficult for the user to properly align the DPM code within the optical FOV without the aid of the aiming pattern.